The following are documents that will assist you in completing your doctoral program
Dissertation Proposal
The first step in the proposal process is to create a written document. Ideas and verbal discussions are wonderful, but there are too many things that are unclear and vague as we tell the story each time. A written document provides a solid record of thoughts and thus can progress.
Proposal Prospectus
The first step in preparing your proposal is creating a prospectus. This document will provide you and your major process with a written document to progress toward a formal dissertation proposal defense.
This file will assist you in preparing your dissertation proposal and provide a rubric for creating the structure. It was developed in cooperation with Dr. Kim Nimon to assist students in preparing for discussion with their major professor.
Your dissertation should be published in a refereed journal in your chosen field. This is an easy guide to the type of quality that the major professor and committee expect when you defend your dissertation proposal and defense.
The first defense that you attend should not be your own. You should take every opportunity to attend our students’ presentations to get an idea of the style, format, and types of questions that are typically observed.
Below are several completed dissertations and a dissertation defense to provide you a reference for your destination.
“Traditional-style” Dissertation
A study of Performance and Effort expectancy factors among generational and gender groups to predict Enterprise Social Software Technology Adoption.
Dr. Sunil Patel completed a traditional format with a great format.
“Article-style” Dissertation
A construct Validity Analysis of the Work Perception Profile Data.
Dr. Susan Frear completed an ‘Article-style” dissertation that will introduce you to this style.
Kristine Farmer’s Dissertation Defense
This defense was held in a conference room with two committee members (Allen – chair, and Johnstone) and one committee member on GoToMeeting (Johnson).
MP4 of Dissertation Defense – Slides are shown with audio discussion.
Another Dissertation Defense Presentation
A construct Validity Analysis of the Work Perception Profile Data Slides
Dr. Susan Frear’s Defense PowerPoint provides a great model on how to create a presentation for your oral defense.
What happens after the dissertation?
Dissertations to Articles (2 examples)
Dr. Megan McKee did a great job of converting the dissertation to publication:
Dissertation: The Affects of Mobile Performance on Anxiety and Self-Efficacy of Hospital Float Staff
Refereed Journal: Performance Improvement Quarterly
Dr. Shelby Danks converted her dissertation into two articles
Dissertation: Measuring Culture of Innovation: A Validation Study of the Innovation Quotient Instrument
Refereed Journal: Performance Improvement Quarterly
Article 1: Performance Improvement Quarterly – Measuring Culture of Innovation: A Validation Study of the Innovation Quotient Instrument (Part One)
Article 2: Performance Improvement Quarterly – Measuring Culture of Innovation: A Validation Study of the Innovation Quotient Instrument (Part 2)
Dr. Jeff M. Allen 